Well, I currently have possession of one UGH figure, and I've agreed to trade it to someone for two other figures I was wanting. It's a good deal in my book, but I'm wondering: what's the point of these figures? The silver stands and packaging look cooler, but... why? Is the entire thing a ploy to make MOC completists run out and spend money trying to collect them??

I don't really get it. I like the silver stands, but not enough to run out "chasing" anything.

Is there a point to this that I'm missing, or have I hit the nail right on the head?

I feel the same way. I've never been a carded collector, and something like the UGH isn't going to make me start. Unfortunately many carded collectors are welcoming these with open arms. I'm afraid Hasbro is going to go nuts with oddball packaging after this. Why should they make a new figure if they can sell an old one with on a new card? Kinda sad if you ask me.

Personally I kinda wish they'd just made the normal Saga packaging with this stuff, it can't be more than .0000000000001 cent per figure more expensive :/

I don't think it'll neccesarily impose on production of new figures, and at the moment it seems to be supplying older waves a chance to be on the shelves again. But it seems kind of lame in concept- I see no reason for the existance of these figures but to try to squeeze more money out of completists.

SilverZ

I really see no appeal of these to loose collectors, unless you're into the minis and want a silver set.

But for carded collectors (of which I am) they're a major variant, and a giant pain in the ass. I kinda-sorta like the silver print on them, but I'm mostly doing it out of my sad need to have one of everything carded.

But you're right, there is no big deal, except for the fact that these are continuing to be a a "hot" item because every Hot Wheels guy is hoarding them up and making them even more difficult to track down than they should be.

Well I'm just glad I'm a loose collector... I never understood wanting to collect MOMC but to each his own. No problem if you do, it's just a different way to collect. But the whole variant thing has to drive people nuts that want each variation.

I'd say the best thing about these is that by creating the UGH, Hasbro has admitted that the line (during non-movie years) is aimed at collectors. This is good because whenever Hasbro does a Q&A they say the line is aimed at kids, next time they do this we can respond by pointing to this sub-line and proving them wrong.

I'm no Hasbro basher, but they do get a bit defensive when the do public appearances.

I'd say the best thing about these is that by creating the UGH, Hasbro has admitted that the line (during non-movie years) is aimed at collectors. This is good because whenever Hasbro does a Q&A they say the line is aimed at kids, next time they do this we can respond by pointing to this sub-line and proving them wrong.

I'm no Hasbro basher, but they do get a bit defensive when the do public appearances.

They can and will still claim that the line is geared towards kids. Pointing at the wide variety of lines that are primarily for kids: Galactic Heroes, Force Battlers, Transformers, Attacktix, etc...

They can also make a claim that the regular 3.75" figure line are not for kids. What the UGH, VTSC & Titanium Lines do is allow them to simply say "see we're offering things for you collectors too".

There's a show I like to watch when I get home in time called "Attack of the Show" on G4 - back in February they covered Toy Fair. Now you would expect that the audience for this show would be primarily toy collectors, not kids. Well, when it came time to cover Hasbro, there was Darryl De[Retarded]Priest gushing about the "all metal" figures which are "new".

So that's my point, you corner them at a con or some other event and they will simply hold up the Titanium Figures and say "but we made these for you, collectors!" and then when the line fails (which it will if the amount of the first wave collecting dust locally here in NJ is any indication) they will point the blame at collectors and say "well, we gave collectors a chance and they didn't support the line, so that's why we have to gear Star Wars to kids, blah blah blah"

Logged

Peter

Letting my collecting OCD get the better of me on a DAILY basis... and loving EVERY minute of it!

You guys will laugh, but in my area there seems to be some sort of vigilante with his own brand of justice. Someone is tearing the cards and bubbles of UGH figures in Wally and Target and leaving them on the pegs. Nothing is missing from these figures, it's being done purely for spite.

You guys will laugh, but in my area there seems to be some sort of vigilante with his own brand of justice. Someone is tearing the cards and bubbles of UGH figures in Wally and Target and leaving them on the pegs. Nothing is missing from these figures, it's being done purely for spite.

Too much fun.

Egh. I hate cardbenders. I understand the aspect that might have some appeal, screw with the ebayers, but it really serves no positive purpose other than to slow the line down. It happens around here every so often and with the number of repacks, it's not a good thing. During the last HOF wave someone did it to an entire case. Well it was an entire run of repacks, so most just hung on the pegs for well over a year. A carded completeist would have bought them in an instant and probably had more product come through the store. This way the stock never moved, ergo the product doesn't sell.

I'd still like a set of UGH in some way, just to open them but that sort of defeats the purpose.

Well I'm just glad I'm a loose collector... I never understood wanting to collect MOMC but to each his own. No problem if you do, it's just a different way to collect.

I used to be a carded collector and at times still have a hard time opening some things up. The appeal to me as a (formerly) carded collector is that a lot of these figures simply look way, way better on the card. Far too many are little pieces of **** when you take them off - Luke won't stand properly (even with a stand!), Vader's helmet falls off, ______ can't hold his lightsaber... Plus some of the artwork/design of the cards, even pre-OTC looks really nice and gives that nostalgic feeling. Space was the real issue for me though with carded stuff, now it's even an issue with loose figures. Yeesh. Like you I don't begrudge anyone collecting carded, but the OC guys like Matt, Jared and Jeff definitely have my sympathy through this stuff.

The only reason I even have the UGHs I have is because they basically fell in my lap. I found the Obi Wan, Commander Cody, and AT-AT Driver when I went out hunting a couple of times. Then a collecting friend of mine in Baton Rouge sent me General Grievous, Scorch, Darth Vader, and Han Solo for my B-day.

But you're right, there is no big deal, except for the fact that these are continuing to be a a "hot" item because every Hot Wheels guy is hoarding them up and making them even more difficult to track down than they should be.

That's the biggest problem I have with this whole idea; Hasbro is enticing the quick-buck speculator/Hot Wheels guy to the SW aisle. You don't need to do crap like this to draw in fans of SW. In reality, this is probably giving the regular SW collector more difficulty finding what they want.

Plus Hasbro's not dumb. They know that there is a segment of collectors that will buy each and every combo of holo/figure/reposed in bubble figure there is. That is probably part of the reason the holos are changing to red.

I gave up the complete carded collection beast a while ago, but I did put together a set of OTC because I liked the packaging and the scope of the line. I had considered doing the same with TSC, as it would now encompass the prequels as well, but....

I found an Obi Wan UGH the first week they started showing up. I felt pretty lucky, and upped my daily # of stores I stop at from 2-3 to 5-6. Weeks later I am frustrated, have 3 of the coruscant figures, burned about 30 gallons of gas, and still have my Obi Wan UGH.

So I started returning Carkoon and some of the geonosis and hoth figures. I will still end up with almost all of them loose, but the carded specimens can go back in the pool. In my case, UGH deterred me from collecting the complete line.

The only reason I even have the UGHs I have is because they basically fell in my lap. I found the Obi Wan, Commander Cody, and AT-AT Driver when I went out hunting a couple of times. Then a collecting friend of mine in Baton Rouge sent me General Grievous, Scorch, Darth Vader, and Han Solo for my B-day.

Almost that same hear. I was thinking about skiping them, but I found most of them easily within 2 weeks of release.

Logged

"Snark is the idiot's version of wit."

SilverZ

That's the biggest problem I have with this whole idea; Hasbro is enticing the quick-buck speculator/Hot Wheels guy to the SW aisle. You don't need to do crap like this to draw in fans of SW. In reality, this is probably giving the regular SW collector more difficulty finding what they want.

And look no further than eBay for more evidence of the quick buck Hot Wheels guys. I was checking to see if interest in UGH had dwindled on there (and it has, thankfully) and came across one auction that's second line description read "Hard to find Star Wars Treasure Hunt".

If Hasbro was looking to frustrate the regular SW collector and pique the interest of speculators, they've done a bang up job of it.